Patent GB-636395-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for making catemenial tampons
IPC: A61F13/20
Filed: 1946-11-26
Abstract: 636,395. Tampons and tampon-making apparatus. BURGESS, A. F. (International Cellucotton Products Co.). Nov. 26, 1946, No. 35041. [Class 81 (ii)] A tampon consists of a number of multiply layers 7 of creped tissue paper enclosed in a wrapper 2 of loosely-matted cotton fibres on tissue paper and in a knitted jacket 3. The jacket is of a size to accommodate the absorbent core, Fig. 4, before it is compressed to the finished form shown in Fig. 5 and again after it has been moistened and swelled. One end of the jacket is compressed and stuck on to the end 4 of the core, the other end being extended and sealed by adhesive to serve as a draw string 5. In apparatus for making such tampons, a web of multi-ply creped paper 10, Fig. 2, is slit by knives 11 into a number of strips 20 which form the layers of the tampon core. The strips are aggregated by pins 22 and rolls 23 into a rope 31 which is led into a guide 24 where it meets a web 30 of wrapping paper. The latter is wrapped round the rope by folders 39, 41 and the wrapped rope then passes over a roll 40 to a cutter 46 which cuts off the individual cores 59. The cutter is rocked intermittently into engagement with the rope, which is gripped at these times by a clamp 52. A spring guide 53 allows the rope to form a loop while its feed beyond the roll 40 is interrupted by the clamp. The web 10 is supported by upper and lower tapes while passing the slitters, and the supply reels for the webs 10 and 30 are adjustably supported. The rope is supported past the folders by an upper, spring- supported belt. The cutter 46 and clamp 52 are operated at the correct times by cam mechanism. The separated cores fall into the bight of two belts 55, 56 which deliver them into a tubular jacket 58 which is being knitted by knitting mechanism 57, Fig. 3. The belts 55, 56 may be driven at the same speed as that of the advance of the jacket, or at a slower speed in order to increase the spacing of the cores in the jacket. The jacket with spaced cores is then conveyed by suitable belting over a roller, not shown, mounted on a pivoted arm, to nozzles 119 which spray adhesive on the jacket between the cores, and then to cutters 120, 121 which sever the jacket near the end of a core. If the jacket is made of cellulose acetate, adhesive sealing may be replaced by heat. Inter-meshing fingers 120a, 121a associated with the cutters support and centre the jacket section which is to be cut. The jacket and cores are conveyed through the nozzles and cutters by two pairs of chains 113, 114 united at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the cores by slats 115. The chains are driven intermittently by Geneva gearing and the nozzles, cutters and fingers are advanced by cams through the chains at appropriate times. While the chains are stopped for the cutting, &c., operations on the jacket, slack in the latter due to the constant feed of the knitting machine is taken up by raising the aforementioned roller on its pivoted arm. An oscillating and reciprocating pin 122 acts to tuck the short cut end of the jacket on to the end of the adjacent core, where it is held by the previously-applied adhesive. The separated tampons are delivered by the chains to pressing means comprising end dies 125, 126 and pairs of side dies 127, 128, which compress the tampon to the form shown in Fig. 5. The die 125 is hollow to accommodate the draw-string portion of the jacket. Several sets of compressing dies may be mounted on a turret and presented in turn to the chains; and two or more knitting machines, each with a following train of spraying, &c., mechanism, may be supplied in turn with cores by the belts 55, 56. The various instrumentalities are driven from one or more motors through appropriate belt and chain gearing which may include speed-changing mechanism for varying the speed and timing of the various parts.